Gr8ful Girls Blog

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Many people do not take time out of their lives to think about all of the good things they currently have and be grateful. Possibly, you may have already spent a lot of time trying to get ahead in life but despite this, you continue to struggle. I will explain how just by changing your mindset a little you can begin to turn your life around.
How many times per day do you stop and give thanks for the little joys in your daily life? Most people are simply programmed to be negative or have expectations about how life is supposed to be. Part of this is fueled by the unrealistic expectations that society places on everyone to be perfect and to have it all.
Why not just take things one day at a time and be happy for the progress that you make each day? Bestselling author, coach and mentor Kim Serafini has put together an amazing new book to help you take time out of your day to focus on being grateful and appreciative of the small things in life.
Her book,i am gr8ful for life , is a beautiful guide complete with photographs that is full of positive thoughts and small gems of positive knowledge for you to consider each day as you wake up. You can download a copy of this book at http://www.iamgr8ful.com/. Some of the things that you can consider when you wake up are family, your health and being in the position to make changes in your life.

As you are reading this, you have already taken a step to making positive change in your life that will allow you to achieve your dreams. Positive thinking is so essential to achieving your dreams because in order to actually attain something that you never thought would be possible you have to think it possible.
Remember every day as you go about preparing to achieve your dreams, every small step you take will help you get closer to your goals. Whether an event is positive or a negative in your journey, it is all part of life’s learning experiences. Finding the good in anything that happens in your life will help you to learn from the experience so that you do not continue to repeat the same mistakes.
If you have trouble trying to come up with the right mindset for positive thinking and being grateful, you may want to try some of the methods that Kim suggests. Thinking about all of the grateful things in your life can be a difficult task for some people if they are not fully relaxed mentally. If you are having problems try Lithos Therapy, a solution for those trying to achieve relaxation.
The official site for this powerful technique can be found at http://www.lithos.com.au/. This technique uses chilled and heated rocks during massage to help bring the body and mind to a state of complete relaxation.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

You are probably aware that showing gratitude can bring a deep sense of happiness, right? Well, did you know that it could also bring better health? It’s true! If you get into the habit of practicing gratitude each and every day, studies have shown that it will make your immune system stronger, and help you approach life from a more positive perspective. A researcher from the University of California discovered that grateful people seem to take better care of themselves in general, and when we take better care of ourselves, we are naturally healthier.

We all have those “off” days when it is difficult to unearth the gratitude that is buried within each of us. We might be in a bad mood, or recovering from some unfortunate incident, and find that it is simply hard to think of anything for which to be grateful. Never fear! Thanks to KimSerafini, who is an expert on the use of Positive Psychology, there is a new book called “I Am Gr8ful For Life,” that can help summon feelings of gratitude and the happiness that goes along with it. This gorgeous book is full of useful resources to help evoke that grateful frame of mind. I recommend you check out the book on her web site at: http://www.iamgr8ful.com. It really did wonders to help me through some tough times. Now, I glance through it several times a week, always discovering something new for which to be grateful.

The health effects that accompany expressing our gratitude have recently become a hot scientific topic. Studies show that our expressions of appreciation are genuine sources of human strength. This strength enhances our personal and relational well-being and makes us happier, healthier individuals.

In other words, be thankful and be well.

Happiness can lead to lower blood pressure and a myriad of other positive health effects. For example, it can lessen the dangers of stress. Research has shown that happier people can have stronger cardiovascular systems and a greater likelihood of reducing their risks of other serious diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension.

If you need a bit of a boost in reducing stress, I have recently made an exciting discovery called “Lithos Therapy.” If you truly do want something for which to be grateful, you can thank whoever came up with this fantastic idea! This amazing way to relax and unwind is truly unique. During Lithos Therapy, both heated and chilled rock instruments (much like marble sculptures, not river stones) are used during massage to evoke a sense of peace and relaxation. You can read more about it at: http://www.lithos.com.au/WhatIs.php. This is one more fabulous way of helping us all be healthier and happier.

Each week, as you go through your daily routine, try to focus on at least five things that you feel thankful for.

They can be small things. If you are unable to think of any, go through the inspirational readings in KimSerafini’s book until you find some. As you direct your focus on them, be aware of the sense of peace that overcomes you and know that you have just made yourself healthier.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

The other day, I read a quote that said something to the effect that when we have a desire for something and concentrate on it, while simultaneously giving thanks for what we already have, we will actually manifest that desire. That is a powerful thought. Then again, gratitude is a powerful life force.
When I begin the process of being grateful, I notice that my energy changes directions. Whereas I might have previously been negatively focused on the things I didn’t have and feeling sorry for myself, I try my best to simply look around me and list all the things for which I am grateful. Amazingly, when I shift my thinking and begin to count my blessings, everything begins to change for the better, and those things that I desire begin to unfold before me. It is as simple as that.
Through gratitude all things are possible.

We all have those times when we find ourselves mired too deeply into negative thinking. I know that when it happens to me, I need some inspiration to get into the mindset of gratitude. What works for me is a great little gift book that I found online by Kim Serafini, an expert on the use of Positive Psychology. The book is called “I Am Gr8ful For Life,” and I refer to it often. It contains all kinds of suggestions, resources and reminders for how to evoke gratitude in one’s heart and mind. I can’t recommend it highly enough! You can find it here, on her web site at: http://www.iamgr8ful.com. There is no better way to get back on track with the kind of positive thinking that leads to the paths of gratitude and appreciation.
There are many principles that we can apply to our lives to make it better. Things such as order, simplicity and harmony are among them. However, without gratitude, none of it works. Gratitude truly is the key to success. Giving thanks sets a spiritual law into motion that says “The more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.”
I find that as I focus on the abundance that I have such as the love, the shelter, the food, the friends, the sunshine etc., I begin to draft a blueprint for my future. I feel satisfied and fulfilled. As it turns out, this is gratitude at work, literally transforming my dreams into my reality. I don’t even have to understand how it works, just so long as I follow the path of gratitude. Each and every time, I wind up exactly where I am supposed to be.
One way to prepare my mind to focus on gratitude is to seek out a state of total relaxation. When I am nice and relaxed, it is easier to concentrate. This is the first step in manifesting what I would like to have. One way to reach that deep state of relaxation is through something called “Lithos Therapy”. This is a new discovery for me. The therapy involves both heated and chilled rock instruments (similar to marble sculptures, not river stones) being used during a massage to evoke a peaceful state of relaxation. You can read more about it at: http://www.lithos.com.au/WhatIs.php.

I am a gift giver who is always on the lookout for new ways in which to show someone gratitude and appreciation for having touched my life. One of the best things I’ve found in a long time is a wonderful new book that is written exclusively on the subject of gratitude. I love the idea of expressing gratitude with an entire book about gratitude!

Kim Serafini, an expert on the use of Positive Psychology, is the author of the new offering “I Am Gr8ful for Life.” It is full of beautiful and valuable resources that deal with ways to summon gratitude. If you are looking for the perfect gift, I recommend you check out her book on her web site at: http://www.iamgr8ful.com. Kim’s book can truly help you get back on track with positive thinking if you find yourself, or the intended recipient, mired in negativity.

Virtually every culture exercises this custom of gift giving in one way or another. For example, in Japan, gifts are given as a matter of social duty with a whole slew of tradition attached, including devaluing the gifts and often, taking great pains to wrap it in unusual and attractive ways. I do not feel so socially dutiful when I give gifts, as much as I genuinely feel the desire from my heart to do so.

Before you give someone a gift, you should ask whether the giving of it is truly for the person to whom you want to give it, or if it is being given for you to gain something. If you give to someone in order to achieve personal gain, this is not a pure expression of gratitude.

There are those gifts that are given as a part of creating and affirming ties with a fellow human being, and those that are charitable gifts; the purpose of which is to provide help wherever it is needed, but not to create a debt of affection.

Gifts need not be elaborate to express gratitude. The important thing is to be mindful of the recipient. Try to show that person that he or she is appreciated by paying particular attention to what makes him or her special, and try to focus on what he or she might want other than something you personally like for yourself. Then consider giving something reflective of that. Try to keep in mind that gift giving shouldn’t be so much about the thing one gives, as it is about the sentiment expressed and the thought that went into it. After all, “The best things in life aren’t things.”

One of my favorite things to give is the gift of relaxation. I have found a product that is tantamount to giving someone a little mini-vacation that they can take without ever leaving the comfort of their own homes. It is called “Lithos Therapy,” and is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. Both heated & chilled ‘rock instruments’ (a little like marble sculptures, and not at all like river stones) are placed on the recipient’s back to evoke a sense of peace and relaxation. You can read more about it at: http://www.lithos.com.au/WhatIs.php. Whomever you give it will surely love it!